The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document.
The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge covers the following: Patent number, Date patent was issued, Date patent was filed, Title of the patent, Applicant, Inventor, Assignee, Attorney firm, Primary examiner, Assistant examiner, CPCs, and Abstract. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document (in Adobe Acrobat format, aka pdf). To download or print any patent click here.
Patent No.:
Date of Patent:
Oct. 30, 1990
Filed:
Oct. 05, 1989
J Angelo Beraldin, Ottawa, CA;
Francois Blais, Orleans, CA;
Abstract
In active range finder apparatus wherein an object to be inspected is illuminated by a laser source and light reflected by the object is detected in an imaging photosensor, a system is provided for increasing the dynamic range of the apparatus. This system provides for integrating over each of a series of measuring time periods light reflected from a window of the photosensor and hence proportional to the light received by such photosensor. When such integrated light exceeds a predetermined amount, a saturation signal is generated that immediately de-energizes the source. If this amount is not reached by the end of each period, the system is reset. The source is gradually re-energized at the commencement of each subsequent period. The virtually instantaneous de-energization and gradual re-energization combined with use of a saturation detector separate from the main photosensor ensures rapid action that is quick enough to substantially avoid saturation of such main photosensor.